Commun. Math. Phys. 264, 291–302 (2006) Digital Object Identifier (DOI) 10.1007/s00220-005-1466-7

Communications in

Mathematical Physics

Hermitian Geometry and Complex Space-Time A.H. Chamseddine Center for Advanced Mathematical Sciences (CAMS) and Physics Department, American University of Beirut, Lebanon. E-mail: [email protected] Received: 26 March 2005 / Accepted: 20 June 2005 Published online: 18 November 2005 – © Springer-Verlag 2005

Abstract: We consider a complex Hermitian manifold of complex dimensions four with a Hermitian metric and a Chern connection. It is shown that the action that determines the dynamics of the metric is unique, provided that the linearized Einstein action coupled to an antisymmetric tensor is obtained, in the limit when the imaginary coordinates vanish. The unique action is of the Chern-Simons type when expressed in terms of the K¨ahler form. The antisymmetric tensor field has gauge transformations coming from diffeomorphism invariance in the complex directions. The equations of motion must be supplemented by boundary conditions imposed on the Hermitian metric to give, in the limit of vanishing imaginary coordinates, the low-energy effective action for a curved metric coupled to an antisymmetric tensor.

1. Introduction The idea of complexifying space-time in general relativity was put forward in the early sixties. It appeared in different but related lines of research. These include complexifying the four-dimensional manifold and equipping it with a holomorphic metric, asymptotically complex null surfaces and theory of twistors [1–7]. More recently, Witten [8] considered string propagation on complexified space-time where he presented some evidence that the imaginary part of the complex coordinates enters in the study of the high-energy behavior of scattering amplitudes [9]. In this string picture it is assumed that the imaginary parts of the coordinates are small at low-energies. At a fundamental level the complex coordinates X µ , µ = 1, . . . , d with complex conjugates X µ ≡ X µ are described by the topological σ model action [8]
I=

  dσ dσ gµν X(σ, σ ), X (σ, σ ) ∂σ X µ ∂σ X ν ,

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where the world-sheet coordinates are denoted by σ and σ , and where the background metric for the complex d-dimensional manifold M is Hermitian so that gµν = gνµ ,

gµν = gµ ν = 0.

Decomposing the metric into real and imaginary components gµν = Gµν + iBµν , the hermiticity condition implies that Gµν is symmetric and Bµν is antisymmetric. The low-energy effective string action is given by the Einstein-Hilbert action coupled to the field strength of the antisymmetric tensor. This can be related to the invariance µ µ µ µ of the sigma  model under complex transformations X → X + ζ (X) , X → µ µ X +ζ X . A related phenomena was observed in noncommutative geometry [10], where the space-time coordinates are deformed and become noncommuting, [x µ , x ν ] = iθ µν [11]. Furthermore, it was found that in the effective action of open-string theory, the −1  does appear [12]. This was taken as a motiinverse of the combinations Gµν + Bµν vation to study the dynamics of a complex Hermitian metric on a real manifold [13], considered first by Einstein and Strauss [14]. In [13] it was shown that the invariant action constructed have the required behavior for the propagation of the fields Gµν and Bµν at the linearized level, but problems do arise when non-linear interactions are taken into account. This is due to the fact that there is no gauge symmetry to prevent the ghost components of Bµν from propagating. It is then important to address the question of whether it is possible to have consistent interactions in which the field Bµν appears explicitly in analogy with Gµν and not only through the combination of derivatives Hµνρ = ∂µ Bνρ + ∂ν Bρµ + ∂ρ Bµν . This suggests that the gauge parameters for the transformation Bµν → Bµν + ∂µ ν − ∂ν µ that keep Hµνρ invariant must be combined with the diffeomorphism parameters on the real manifold. For this to happen there must be diffeomorphism invariance of the Hermitian manifold M of complex dimensions d, with complex coordinates zµ = x µ + iy µ , µ = 1, . . . , d. The line element is then given by [15] ds 2 = 2gµν dzµ dzν , where we have denoted zµ = zµ . The metric preserves its form under infinitesimal transformations zµ → zµ − ζ µ (z) , zµ → zµ − ζ µ (z) , as can be seen from the transformations 0 = δgµν = ∂µ ζ λ gλν + ∂ν ζ λ gµλ , 0 = δgµ ν = ∂µ ζ λ gλν + ∂ν ζ λ gµλ , δgµν = ∂µ ζ λ gλν + ∂ν ζ λ gµλ + ζ λ ∂λ gµν + ζ λ ∂λ gµν .

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It is instructive to express these transformations in terms of the fields Gµν (x, y) and Bµν (x, y) by writing ζ µ (z) = α µ (x, y) + iβ µ (x, y), ζ µ (z) = α µ (x, y) − iβ µ (x, y). The holomorphicity conditions on ζ µ and ζ µ imply the relations ∂µy β ν = ∂µx α ν , ∂µy α ν = −∂µx β ν , where we have denoted ∂µy =

∂ , ∂y µ

∂µx =

∂ . ∂x µ

The transformations of Gµν (x, y) and Bµν (x, y) are then given by δGµν (x, y) = ∂µx α λ Gλν + ∂νx α λ Gµλ + α λ ∂λx Gµν y

−∂µx β λ Bλν + ∂νx β λ Bµλ + β λ ∂λ Gµν , δBµν (x, y) = ∂µx β λ Gλν − ∂νx β λ Gµλ + α λ ∂λx Bµν y

+∂µx α λ Bλν + ∂νx α λ Bµλ + β λ ∂λ Bµν . One readily recognizes that in the vicinity of small y µ the fields Gµν (x, 0) and Bµν (x, 0) transform as symmetric and antisymmetric tensors with gauge parameters α µ (x) and β µ (x) where α µ (x, y) = α µ (x) − ∂νx β µ (x)y ν + O(y 2 ), β µ (x, y) = β µ (x) + ∂νx α µ (x)y ν + O(y 2 ), as implied by the holomorphicity conditions. The purpose of this work is to investigate the dynamics of the Hermitian metric gµν on a complex space-time with complex dimensions four, such that in the limit of vanishing imaginary values of the coordinates, the action reduces to that of a symmetric metric Gµν and an antisymmetric field Bµν . The plan of this paper is as follows. In Section Two we summarize the essentials of Hermitian geometry. In Section Three we construct the most general action which gives, in the linearized limit, the correct equations of motion for a symmetric metric Gµν and an antisymmetric field Bµν and show that the action is unique. In Section Four we impose constraints on the torsion and curvature in the four dimensional limit where the imaginary values of the coordinates vanish and study the equations of motion . Section Five is the conclusion. 2. Hermitian Geometry The Hermitian manifold M of complex dimensions d is defined as a Riemannian manii with fold  real dimensions 2d with Riemannian metric gij and complex coordinates z = µ µ z , z , where Latin indices i, j, k, . . . , run over the range 1, 2, . . . , d, 1, 2, . . . , d. The invariant line element is then [16] ds 2 = gij dzi dzj ,

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where the metric gij is hybrid  gij =

0 gµν gνµ 0

 .

j

It has also an integrable complex structure Fi satisfying j

j

Fik Fk = −δi , and with a vanishing Nijenhuis tensor   Njhi = Fjt ∂t Fih − ∂i Fth − Fit ∂t Fjh − ∂j Fth . The complex structure has components   ν iδµ 0 j . Fi = 0 −iδµν The affine connection with torsion ijh is introduced so that the following two conditions are satisfied h ∇k gij = ∂k gij − ik ghj − jhk gih = 0, j

j

j

j

h ∇k Fi = ∂k Fi − ik Fh + hk Fih = 0.

These conditions do not determine the affine connection uniquely and there exist several possibilities used in the literature. We shall adopt the Chern connection, which is the one most commonly used. It is defined by prescribing that the (2d)2 linear differential forms ωij = ji k dzk , µ

µ

be such that ω ν and ω ν are given by [15], µ dzρ , ωµν = νρ µ

µ

µ

ω ν = ω ν = ν ρ dzρ , µ

with the remaining (2d)2 forms set equal to zero. For ω ν to have a metrical connection the differential of the metric tensor g must be given by ρ

dgµν = ωρµ gρν + ω ν gµρ , from which we obtain ρ

ρ

∂λ gµν dzλ + ∂λ gµν dzλ = µλ gρν dzλ + νλ gµρ dzλ , so that ρ

µλ = g νρ ∂λ gµν , ρ

νλ = g ρµ ∂λ gµν ,

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where the inverse metric g νµ is defined by g νµ gµκ = δκν . j

The condition ∇k Fi = 0 is then automatically satisfied and the connection is metric. The torsion forms are defined by 1 µ ν µ ≡ − Tνρ dz ∧ dzρ 2 µ = ωµν dzν = − νρ dzν ∧ dzρ , which implies that µ µ µ = νρ − ρν Tνρ   = g σ µ ∂ρ gνσ − ∂ν gρσ .

The torsion form is related to the differential of the Hermitian form F =

1 Fij dzi ∧ dzj , 2

where Fij = Fik gkj = −Fj i , is antisymmetric and satisfy Fµν = 0 = Fµ ν , Fµν = igµν = −Fνµ , so that F = igµν dzµ ∧ dzν . The differential of F is then dF =

1 Fij k dzi ∧ dzj ∧ dzk , 6

so that Fij k = ∂i Fj k + ∂j Fki + ∂k Fij . The only non-vanishing components of this tensor are   σ Fµνρ = i ∂µ gνρ − ∂ν gµρ = −iTµν gσ ρ = −iTµνρ ,   Fµ νρ = −i ∂µ gρν − ∂ν gρµ = iTµσ ν gρσ = iTµ νρ . The curvature tensor of the metric connection is constructed in the usual manner ij = dωij − ωik ∧ ωkj ,

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with the only non-vanishing components νµ and νµ . These are given by νµ = −R νµκλ dzκ ∧ dzλ − R νµκλ dzκ ∧ dzλ  ν ρ ν ν = ∂κ µλ − µκ ρλ dzκ ∧ dzλ . dzκ ∧ dzλ − ∂λ µκ Comparing both sides we obtain ρ

ν ν ρ ν ν R νµκλ = ∂λ µκ − ∂κ µλ + µκ ρλ − µλ ρκ , ν R νµκλ = ∂λ µκ .

One can easily show that R νµκλ = 0, R νµκλ = g ρν ∂κ ∂λ gµρ + ∂λ g ρν ∂κ gµρ . Transvecting the last relation with gνσ we obtain −Rµσ κλ = ∂κ ∂λ gµσ + gνσ ∂λ g ρν ∂κ gµρ . Therefore the only non-vanishing covariant components of the curvature tensor are Rµνκλ ,

Rµν κλ ,

Rµνκλ ,

Rµνκλ ,

which are related by Rµνκλ = −Rνµκλ = −Rµνλκ , and satisfy the first Bianchi identity [15] R νµκλ − R νκµλ = ∇λ Tµκ ν . The second Bianchi identity is given by ∇ρ Rµνκλ − ∇κ Rµνρλ = Rµνσ λ Tρκ σ , together with the conjugate relations. There are three possible contractions for the curvature tensor which are called the Ricci tensors Rµν = −g λκ Rµλκν ,

Sµν = −g λκ Rµνκλ ,

Tµν = −g λκ Rκλµν .

Upon further contraction these result in two possible curvature scalars R = g νµ Rµν ,

S = g νµ Sµν = g νµ Tµν .

Note that when the torsion tensors vanishes, the manifold M becomes K¨ahler. We shall not impose the K¨ahler condition as we are interested in Hermitian non-K¨ahlerian geometry. We note that it is also possible to consider the Levi-Civita connection ˚ ijk and the h , where associated Riemann curvature Kkij   1 ˚ ijk = g kl ∂i glj + ∂j gil − ∂l gij , 2 h h h ˚t t Kkij ij − ˚ ith ˚ kj = ∂k ˚ ijh − ∂i ˚ kj + ˚ kt .

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The relation between the Chern connection and the Levi-Civita connection is given by 1 k ijk = ˚ ijk + Tij − Tijk − Tjki . 2 t and K = g ij K . Moreover The Ricci tensor and curvature scalar are Kij = Ktij ij t i kj Hkj = Kkj i Ft and H = g Hkj . The two scalar curvatures K and H are related by [17]

K − H = ∇˚ h F ij ∇˚ j Fih − ∇˚ k Fki ∇˚ h F hi − 2F j i ∇˚ j ∇˚ k Fki . There are also relations between curvatures of the Chern connection and those of the Levi-Civita connection, mainly [17] 1 K = S − ∇ µ Tµ − ∇ µ Tµ − Tµ Tν g νµ , 2 ν . There are two natural conditions that can be imposed on the torsion. where Tµ = Tµν The first is Tµ = 0 which results in a semi-K¨ahler manifold. The other is when the ν = 0 implying that the curvature tensor has torsion is complex analytic so that ∇λ Tµκ the same symmetry properties as in the K¨ahler case. In this work we shall not impose any conditions on the torsion tensor.

3. An Invariant Action We now specialize to the realistic case of a complexified four dimensional space-time. To construct invariants up to second order in derivatives we write the following possible terms
 d 4 zd 4 zg aR + bS + c Tµνκ Tρ σ λ g ρµ g σ ν g κλ + d Tµνκ Tρ σ λ g ρµ g σ λ g κν + e . I= M4

1

The density factor is det gij 2 = det gµν ≡ g. We shall set the cosmological term to zero (e = 0) . The above action can equivalently be written in terms of the Riemannian metric gij in the form


1 

I = d 4 zd 4 z det gij 2 a  K + b H + c Fij k F ij k + d  Fi F i , M

where Fi = Fij k F j k and a  , b , c , d  are parameters linearly related to the parameters a, b, c, d. We shall now impose the requirement that the linearized action, in the limit of y → 0 gives the correct kinetic terms for Gµν (x) and Bµν (x). Therefore writing Gµν (x, y) = ηµν + hµν (x), Bµν (x, y) = Bµν (x), and keeping only quadratic terms in the action, we obtain, after integrating by parts, the quadratic hµν terms,
 I = d 4 xd 4 y 2c∂κx hµν ∂ xκ hµν + (a − 2c + d) ∂ xν hµν ∂λx hµλ  + (a − b + 2d) ∂ xν hµν ∂ xν hλλ + (d − b) ∂µx hνν ∂ xµ hλλ .

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Comparing with the linearized Einstein action we obtain the following conditions 2c = 1,

a − 2c + d = −2,

−a + b − 2d = 2,

d − b = −1,

which are equivalent to b = −a,

c=

1 , 2

d = −1 − a.

With this choice of coefficients, the quadratic B contributions simplify to
  d 4 xd 4 y ∂µx Bνρ ∂ xµ B νρ − 2∂ xµ Bµλ ∂νx B νλ , which is identical to the term 1 3


d 4 xd 4 yHµνρ H µνρ ,

where Hµνρ = ∂µx Bνρ + ∂νx Bρµ + ∂ρx Bµν . The action can then be regrouped into the form
  I = d 4 zd 4 zg a R − S − Tµνκ Tρ σ λ g ρµ g σ λ g κν M

+

  1 Tµνκ Tρ σ λ g ρµ g σ ν g κλ − 2g ρµ g σ λ g κν . 2

Using the first Bianchi identity we have

d 4 zd 4 zg (R − S) = d 4 zd 4 zgg λµ ∂λ Tµν M

ν

M




=

d 4 zd 4 zgTµνκ Tρ σ λ g ρµ g σ λ g κν , M

where we have integrated by parts and ignored a surface term. This implies that the group of terms with coefficient a drop out, and the action becomes unique:
 1 I= d 4 zd 4 zgTµνκ Tρ σ λ g ρµ g σ ν g κλ − 2g ρµ g σ λ g κν . 2 M

Substituting for the torsion tensor in terms of the metric gµν , the above action reduces to
1 I= d 4 zd 4 zgX κλσ µνρ ∂ν gµσ ∂λ gρκ , 2 M

where

  Xκλσ µνρ = g σ ρ g κµ g λν − g κν g λµ + g σ µ g κν g λρ − g κρ g λν  +g σ ν g κρ g λµ − g κµ g λρ ,

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which is completely antisymmetric in the indices µνρ and in κλσ Xκλσ µνρ = X



κλσ [µνρ]

.

This is remarkable because the simple requirement that the linearized action for Gµν should be recovered determines the action uniquely. This form of the action is valid in all complex dimensions d, however, when d = 4, we can write 1 X κλσ µνρ = −  κλσ η  µνρτ gτ η , g and the action takes the very simple form
1 d 4 zd 4 z κλσ η  µνρτ gτ η ∂µ gνσ ∂κ gρλ . I =− 2 M

The above expression has the advantage that the action is a function of the metric gµν and there is no need to introduce the inverse metric g νµ . This suggests that the action could be expressed in terms of the K¨ahler form F. Indeed, we can write
i F ∧ ∂F ∧ ∂F. I= 2 M

The equations of motion are given by   1 κλσ η µνρτ  gνσ ∂µ ∂κ gρλ + ∂µ gνσ ∂κ gρλ = 0.  2 Notice that the above equations are trivially satisfied when the metric gµν is K¨ahler, ∂µ gνρ = ∂ν gµρ ,

∂σ gνρ = ∂ρ gνσ ,

where these conditions are locally equivalent to gµν = ∂µ ∂ν K for some scalar function K. 4. Four Dimensional Limit with Vanishing Imaginary Part To study the spectrum of the action we have to assume that although the coordinates are complex, the imaginary parts are small in low-energy experiments. The action is a function of the fields Gµν (x, y) and Bµν (x, y) which depend continuously on the coordinates y µ implying a continuous spectrum with an infinite number of fields depending on x µ . To obtain a discrete spectrum a certain physical assumption should be made that forces the imaginary coordinates to be small. One way, suggested by Witten, [8] is to suppress the imaginary parts by constructing an orbifold space M  = M/G, where G is the group of imaginary shifts zµ → zµ + i(2πk µ ), where k µ are real. To maintain invariance under general coordinate transformation we must have k µ (x, y) . It is not easy, however, to deal with such an orbifold in field theoretic considerations. To determine what is needed we proceed by first expressing the full action in terms of the fields Gµν (x, y) and Bµν (x, y). We write ∂µ gνσ ∂κ gρλ =

 1 Aκλσ µνρ + iBκλσ µνρ , 4

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where    Aκλσ µνρ = ∂µx Gνσ + ∂µy Bνσ ∂κx Gρλ − ∂κy Bρλ    − ∂µx Bνσ − ∂µy Gνσ ∂κx Bρλ + ∂κy Gρλ ,    Bκλσ µνρ = ∂µx Gνσ + ∂µy Bνσ ∂κx Bρλ + ∂κy Gρλ    + ∂µx Bνσ − ∂µy Gνσ ∂κx Gρλ − ∂κy Bρλ . The equations of motion split into real and imaginary parts. These are given by       0 =  κλσ η  µνρτ Gνσ ∂µx ∂κx + ∂µy ∂κy Gρλ − ∂µx ∂κy − ∂µy ∂κx Bρλ      −Bνσ ∂µx ∂κy − ∂µy ∂κx Gρλ + ∂µx ∂κx + ∂µy ∂κy Bρλ  1 + Aκλσ µνρ , 2       0 =  κλσ η  µνρτ Gνσ ∂µx ∂κx + ∂µy ∂κy Bρλ + ∂µx ∂κy − ∂µy ∂κx Gρλ      +Bνσ ∂µx ∂κx + ∂µy ∂κy Gρλ − ∂µx ∂κy − ∂µy ∂κx Bρλ  1 + Bκλσ µνρ . 2 We are interested in evaluating this action and equations of motion for small values of the imaginary coordinates y µ . The above expressions contain terms which are at most y quadratic in ∂µ derivatives, it is then enough to expand the fields to second order in y µ and take the limit y → 0. We therefore write 1 Gµν (x, y) = Gµν (x) + Gµνρ (x)y ρ + Gµνρσ (x) y ρ y σ + O(y 3 ), 2 1 ρ Bµν (x, y) = Bµν (x) + Bµνρ (x)y + Bµνρσ (x) y ρ y σ + O(y 3 ). 2 What is needed is a principle that determines the fields Gµνρ (x), Bµνρ (x), Gµνρσ (x) and Bµνρσ (x) and all higher terms as functions of Gµν (x), Bµν (x). For our purposes it will be enough to determine the expansions only to second order. This can be achieved by imposing boundary conditions in the limit y → 0 on the first and second derivatives of the Hermitian metric. The invariances of the string action given in the introduction suggests that the equations of motion in the y → 0 limit reproduce the low-energy limit of the string equations     1 1 η τ νρ 0 = Gητ R (G) + Hµνρ H µνρ − 2 R ητ (G) + Hνρ , H 6 4 0 = ∇ µ(G) Hµητ . In the absence of a principle that reduces the continuous spectrum, we shall impose the boundary conditions on the Hermitian metric gµν (x, y) to be such that Tµνρ |y→0 = 2iBµν,ρ (x) ,    Rµσ κλ − Rκσ µλ = −2 Rµκσ λ (G) + i ∇λG Hµκσ − ∇σG Hµκλ .

y→0

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The solution of the torsion constraint gives, to lowest orders, Gµνρ (x) = ∂ν Bµρ (x) + ∂µ Bνρ (x) , Bµνρ (x) = −Gµρ,ν (x) + Gνρ,µ (x) , where all derivatives are with respect to x µ . Substituting these into the curvature constraints yield Gµσ κλ (x) = ∂σ ∂λ Gµκ (x) + ∂µ ∂λ Gσ κ (x) + ∂σ ∂κ Gµλ (x) +∂µ ∂κ Gσ λ (x) − ∂κ ∂λ Gµσ (x) + O (∂G, ∂B) , Bµσ κλ (x) = ∂σ ∂λ Bµκ (x) − ∂µ ∂λ Bσ κ (x) + ∂σ ∂κ Bµλ (x) −∂µ ∂κ Bσ λ (x) − ∂κ ∂λ Bµσ (x) + O (∂G, ∂B) , where O (∂G, ∂B) are terms of second order. To write the equations of motion in component form, we substitute the Gµν (x, y) and Bµν (x, y) expansions into Aκλσ µνρ and Bκλσ µνρ using the above solutions to obtain Aκλσ µνρ = µνσ (G) κλρ (G)    − ∂µ Bνσ + ∂σ Bµν − ∂ν Bσ µ ∂κ Bρλ + ∂λ Bρκ + ∂ρ Bρκ + O(y),   Bκλσ µνρ = µνσ (G) ∂κ Bρλ + ∂λ Bρκ + ∂ρ Bρκ   + ∂µ Bνσ + ∂σ Bµν − ∂ν Bσ µ κλρ (G) + O(y), where µνσ (G) = ∂ν Gµσ + ∂µ Gνσ − ∂σ Gµν . In terms of components, the equations of motion take the form    0 =  κλσ η  µνρτ Gνσ ∂µ ∂κ Gρλ + Gρλµκ − ∂µ Bρλκ + ∂κ Bρλµ   −Bνσ ∂µ ∂κ Bρλ + Bρλµκ + ∂µ Gρλκ − ∂κ Gρλµ  1 + Aκλσ µνρ , 2    0 =  κλσ η  µνρτ Gνσ ∂µ ∂κ Bρλ + Bρλµκ + ∂µ Gρλκ − ∂κ Gρλµ   −Bνσ ∂µ ∂κ Gρλ + Gρλµκ − ∂µ Bρλκ + ∂κ Bρλµ  1 + Bκλσ µνρ . 2 After substituting the solutions of the constraints these take the form   1  κλσ η  µνρτ Gνσ Rµλρκ (G) − ∂σ Bµν ∂ρ Bκλ − 2Bνσ ∂λ ∂µ Bρκ = 0, 4     κλσ η µνρτ   Gνσ ∂λ ∂µ Bρκ − Bνσ Rµλρκ (G) = 0. Using the identity    κλσ η  µνρτ Gνσ = 6 det Gµν Gµ[κ Gλ|ρ G η]τ , these equations reduce to the correct equations of motion, up to terms of the form O (∂G, ∂B) which were neglected in the derivation.

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5. Conclusions In this work we have investigated the structure of a complexified space-time. The geometry is taken to be that of a Hermitian manifold with complex metric given by gµν (z, z) = Gµν (x, y) + iBµν (x, y). After studying the properties of Hermitian geometry, we find that there is a unique action, up to boundary terms, that gives the correct linearized kinetic energies for Gµν (x) and Bµν (x) in the limit when the metric is restricted to depend only the variables x µ . The unique action is of the Chern-Simons type when expressed in terms of the K¨ahler form. We have shown that the diffeomorphism invariance in the complex coordinates protect both fields Gµν (x) and Bµν (x) keeping them massless. The physical requirement that the imaginary parts of the coordinates are small at low energies, must be imposed in such a way as to reduce the continuous spectrum of Gµν (x, y) and Bµν (x, y) to a discrete spectrum. In the absence of information about the spectrum arising at high energies where the imaginary coordinates are expected to play a role, it is enough for our purposes to impose conditions on first and second derivatives of the Hermitian metric, which allows us to solve for the lowest order terms in the expansion in terms of y µ . These constraints are imposed on the torsion and curvature of the Hermitian geometry in the limit y µ → 0. We have solved the constraints and shown that the equations of motion for the Hermitian metric results in the low-energy string equations in the limit y µ → 0. The results obtained so far, give circumstantial evidence that space-time might be enlarged to become complex. Much more work is needed to determine the principle that restricts the form of the hermitian metric to give a discrete spectrum and fixes the dependence on the imaginary coordinates to all orders. This will be necessary in order to understand the contributions of the imaginary parts of the coordinates at high energies. One would expect that Bµν (x) would also enter in the higher order terms of the action and not only through their derivatives, in analogy with the field Gµν (x) . Acknowledgement. I would like to thank Jean-Pierre Bourguignon for pointing out reference [17] to me. Research supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. Phys-0313416.

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Communicated by A. Connes